Pictures Fade
by Nora Mutao Frost
Summary: Zareth Fic: Danny has to deal with Zareth being brainwashed. Zareth have to realize that these things are going to happen. Will things be forgiven? Or will they begin to drift apart?


**_Authors Notes: !Don't Panic! _**

* * *

**_Pictures Fade_**

 ** _One Shot_**

 ** _Bounty_**

Danny looked around at the Bounty. With mop and bucket in hand she had got to work. Soon enough the floor was squeeky clean and the rest had been wiped down and dusted. It was the least she could do after staying there till her wounds were healed. Zareth had made an appearance every so often. But mostly it was Zane trying to insure that she was alright. Scanning her every chance he got. Dareth was in the kitchen with him at that very moment trying to get lunch ready. They planned to leave right after that happened.

A cool breeze wiped her hair around. She looked around seeing Pixal in the wheelhouse sweeping the floor up there so she could mop up there. She smiled and lifted the bucket.

"Here...let me get that for you." Danny looked up at Zareth who smiled down at her. "Been working hard to get this place back up and running. Feeling better?" Zareth asked his cheeks turning a different shade of pink. She smiled touching his hand before climbing up the ladder. Pixal put the broom inside the closet and smiled as Danny walked over.

"Hopefully this place will look better once the ninja come back from their shopping trip. Pixal said sliding over so Zareth could tap at the controls for a second. An upbeat song began to play. Danny giggled and began to mop the floor.

"I don't think I have ever seen the Bounty this clean before." Danny giggled. She heard Pixal behind her giggling.

"Never." Danny looked up to see Zareth drop the dust rag he had been using to clean the monitor. He stood there, nothing more. "Zareth?" Danny touched his arm. It was cold...his jacket still lay over the banister. It was just his sleeveless tan shirt. "Oh...Oh no." She turned and grabbed Pixals arm and lead her below deck.

"Whats wrong Danny?"

"You remember when I told you he had been brainwashed?" Danny asked her. The silver haired nindroid nodded her head and pulled Danny into a room as they heard the hatch open.

"Danny…" A few seconds later they heard him again. "Pixal...you can't hide from me."

"He is right...he can scan for us." Pixal whispered and pulled a sword off the wall.

"No don't kill him." Danny gasped trying to pull the sword away from Pixal.

"If we do not then he will kill us." Danny gasped and ducked just as soon as a shuriken flew passed the door and embed itself in Pixals arm.

"Pixal!" Danny yelled. She felt herself being pushed aside. Zareth charged at Pixal grabbing the arm that had the weapon and yanking it right out of socket and tore completely from her screaming body. Danny screamed with more surprise then the scene. She didn't expect to see something like that out of him. He picked the sword up and shoved it into Pixal.

"Danny run!" Pixal yelled trying to get the huge hulking body away from her. Danny wasn't to sure what happened next. All she really knew was the scream and the sound of bending metal. The scream...was cut short.

Danny gasped for air as she ran down the hallway out onto the deck. She looked around for a weapon. Damn their cleaning. Everything had been moved to the other end of the ship...and their was Zareth at the top of the ladder. His hands had oil dripping from them. Danny felt her pump stop, freeze up.

"Zareth please…" She watched him jump from the spot he was standing to the deck. "You're scaring me." Danny hid partly behind the mast.

"You should be...you were created to destroy me...I'm simply returning the favor." His voice was more like a growl then a chuckle and so much deeper.

"No brother I broke that programming. I was created to fix not destroy." Danny pleaded with her brother. Zareth calmly laughed at her. His eyes flashing red as he lunged at her. She turned so that the mast was in the way. "No Zareth no…" She ran climbing up the ladder. She felt him grab her ankle and turn it. It made a gross popping noise. The scream that escaped her lips was forced and that of a surprised animal. She stood up and opened the weapons closet and picked up the harpoon. Nyas harpoon. Anything to keep him as far away from her as possible.

"Stay back...I...I don't want to hurt you." She swung the harpoon in a slightly threatening manner. She had no intention of doing anything other then that really. But he didn't step back, didn't pull away. The harpoon cut right through his chest plate causing a pretty nasty cut. She could see his power source through the slice.

"Oh babe...that hurt." oil leaked from his tan shirt. Dannys eyes grew wide.

"I'm sorry…"

"I know babe...but Im not." He snatched the harpoon from her and spun it around thrusting it right into her chest. Right through her power source. The sound of surprise and gagging filled the air as he lifted her up from the stalk.

"But...I loved you…" She felt herself being heaved over the side of the ship. "Now thats a pity Dannygirl...I hate you." He let go. Danny felt herself falling past the tops of the mountains, the water falls, and the ground.

Danny sat up in bed with a start. She looked around hers and Dareths apartment. She was getting married in a few days and Zareth was there to help her out with the wedding stuff since he was her 'man of honor.' She felt someones arm around her.

"Hey...you okay?" Danny jumped and back peddled in bed and ended up on the ground. She pulled her shirt up running her hand over the spot the harpoon went into. She sighed laying back again.

"It felt so real…"

"What did?" Zareth looked over the edge of the bed. Not even a fleck of red in his optics. Just that icy blue she had grown to know so well.

"A harpoon through my chest." She said causing Zareth to look a little protective.

"And who may I ask should have their butt kicked once I get back to sleep?" He held out his hand to help her off the floor. Danny took his hand and got up. Zareth looked up at her as he kissed it. Danny giggled a little nervously.

"You…" She said. Zareth started he looked down at the covers. They were a brown color with golden embroidery.

"Was I…?" He asked looking very sad. He knew Danny would have these feelings these nightmares about what had happened. The wounds had healed but did their hearts.

"Yeah...yeah you...you um...killed Pixal and then you went after me. I tried to defend myself and you snatched the harpoon from me and stabbed me with it...throwing me off the end of the Bounty." She told him. Zareth stood up and walked out of the room.

"I need to go for a walk." He said pulling on his shoes and walking out the door.

"Zareth wait…your ja…" The door slammed shut. She looked at the window seeing that it was showing very hard. "He's going to get himself killed. Zane stop…" Danny ran into the room pulling on her warmest clothing and picked up Zareths thick blue jacket. She ran outside and looked around. Perhaps he would turn around and come back ones he realized how cold it was. Danny couldn't see very well past her nose.

"Zareth!" She yelled. "Please...I'm sorry." She yelled again and started to walk. Perhaps he went to Laffys.

Zareth walked back into the apartment thirty minutes later. He had breakfast in his arms. He had as an apology for walking out and worrying her. He just really really needed to think. He had on his light jacket with Zane as a partner it didn't get to cold. Although he was sure he'd be feeling it in a few hours if he didn't get warm. He walked into the bedroom. No Danny. Well okay maybe she's in the shower. He knocked and opened the door slowly.

"Danny baby you in here?" He didn't see anyone. He looked worried. He opened her rooms door it was a small room with posters and pictures of them everywhere. There was a small pile of clothes along one wall. Her bed was on the other. Just a small futon since she was so short.

He looked around the apartment once more to see if she was just fooling to get back at him. She wasn't.

He walked over to the closet and opened it. Her jacket and his were gone.

"Oh Dannygirl you didn't did you?" He looked at the shoes in the corner her boots were missing. "You did…"

Zareth ran over pulling on his own boots and ran out of the apartment. Aside from being a little ditsy, and afraid of lightning. Danny had no sense of direction. He looked around the roads seeing her tiny footprints in the snow. The snow came down hard. He couldn't see that well. But he followed the foot prints. Zane tried to use the infrared sensors to see everyone outside in the snow storm. Luckily their wasn't that many.

It was freezing. Their was no doubt about that. Danny knew she could get cold, at least she couldn't get hypothermia. At least she hoped now. But lock up? That was what was going on now. She couldn't feel her legs, she couldn't move them. The oils in her system wouldn't freeze up, but the liquid cooled areas did. She tried to reach for her phone, but her limbs were frozen up like that too. Curled around Zareths jacket. Intaking was a little shaky. Her eyes were beginning to close on their own.

She felt someones hand on her back. She heard someone shaking, but it sounded like someone was talking through a wall at her. She tried to speak, but nothing came out. She felt whoever it was to pick her up and carry her. Her eyes closed and she knew nothing else.

Zareth spotted her, he knew that jacket anywhere. She had embroidered a gold star on the back of it. Mostly just a joke, but she fell in love with it so kept it that way. She loved Dareth so much she just wanted to make him smile. It did…

"Danny. Oh thank god…" He put his hand on her back. It was cold...scary cold. He turned to look at her face. Her eyes were closed. The air coming out from her mouth was slow, but thick. The air in her lungs should be heated so they would come out in poofs. But nothing came out...she had locked up.

"Danny...hang on. Big brothers got you." He picked her up, she wasn't moving not even a little. She was frozen like that.

Danny felt something warm against her mouth. She felt someone run their finger over her cheek. The move made her open her mouth. She felt the liquid pour into her mouth. Warm oil, it was oil. But it tasted good. Zane must have made it. She still wasn't able to move very much.

"Its alright Danny you're fine. You're home." It was Dareths voice. She slowly opened her eyes and looked around the room. She was laying against Dareth, a Blanket wrapped around her. Her clothing on hooks near the fire drying off. Her eyes locked onto Zanes blue ones. He had a mug of warm oil against her lips

"How...How did you?" Danny tried to talk. Her voice sounded like she was talking through a tunnel. Everything echoed.

"Zareth found you. Decided this was the best way to keep you warm and get you something warm to eat faster." Dareth said. Danny lay her head back and sighed.

"Um...yeah...um…" Danny wiggled a little and then looked up at Zane. "Why am I naked?" Danny asked. Both Zane and Dareth looked at one another and then pointed at one another.


End file.
